About a year ago, I received a big box of Sennelier oil pastels. As far as oil pastels go, this is about the best. They were created for Picasso. They are this creamy soft type crayon that blends in rich colors. I was so happy to receive the gift, however, I’ve been a little intimidated to use them because I know that I don’t know how to use them properly.

The advantage is that they are perfect for using while traveling. I decided I would give them a try this week. I started with a black canvas board, a box of Sennelier oil pastels, a pencil, and a color shaper (rubber edged tool that allows for blending and scraping). I decided I was craving avocados, so that became my subject matter.

First I drew it out on my canvas with the pencil. Then I experimented with applying the base colors of the avocado and then blending them. I was able to create a fine line using my color shaper. I could etch in a peel scraping away some of the oil pastel and letting the black canvas come through.

I’m pretty happy with the result considering this was my first oil pastel. I love the creaminess of the Sennelier oil pastels. I can blend easily by using my finger. I was able to get the contrast that I hoped for. I look forward to doing more with them in the near future.

I have decided to challenge myself with doing things I have never done. Mostly, this involves working with materials that I’m completely unfamiliar with. This is not comfortable. I know though, that growth is never comfortable.

I’m doing quiteof bit travel lately, which doesn’t lend well to my highly textured paintings (hard to transport due to slow dry time). I’ve decided to make the most of this time on the road and push myself way outside my comfort zone. It gives me the opportunity to work with mediums I wouldn’t work with otherwise, but also to learn along with the way with experimentation.

I decided to share this process.

I have been very interested in working on some self-portraits. We are our hardest critic, so I thought it would be a good challenge to try to paint myself. I have always done portraits with oils. They are slow to dry, which offers more manipulation and capabilities to blend. I decided for traveling purposes, I would try to acrylics for a self-portrait. I worked in layers, which is something I’m not use to doing. Here is the beginning of this process. I will update again as I get further in the process.

For quite awhile I have had this vision in my mind: an art camper. If I could figure out how to merge my two passions, travel and art, it could be amazing.

My vision includes a fiberglass camper trailer that will have a wrap of my artwork on the outside. A small studio space inside with a place to sleep and be inspired and travel.

This week, I took the first steps to make this come true. I bought a camper! I bought it from an elderly couple who can no longer use it. They told me stories of travels and summers spent in it. This camper comes with a lot of love and I’m happy to be able to carry it on. I look forward to many adventures in it, though those are still taking form in my mind.

My first task will be to clean it out. It as if they left everything from their last trip in it. Then to clean and start customizing it!

“I’m off to do important things,” I said as I walked out the door this morning to head to the art studio. I meant it as a joke. I mean, how important can creating art be? It’s not like I’m doing brain surgery.

It only took a few introspective moments to realize however that it wasn’t a joke at all. I am doing important things. With the recent violence and the medias constant fueling of the anger, rage, revenge and hate, it is important to find some sort of beauty in the world right now.

This week as I was putting my son to sleep, he asked, “Mom, what is the meaning of life?”. This is a pretty loaded question, and he always challenges me to search for answers appropriate for a 7 year old. We talked awhile and one of the things I found myself saying was that part of it was to make the world a better place. To not cause harm but to leave it in a better state.

And this is MY purpose. To create beauty in the world. To fill it with color, happiness, and inspiration. To hear people say at my art shows, “your work makes me feel so happy”.

I got such great feedback from my last studio video I think I will try to make it a regular thing. This week I show you my first 3 Creative Challenge pieces, a commission piece, and a donation piece. So many great things happening!!

My first house was a small ranch house in a small town. It had been built by a man and his wife and they were the only ones who had ever lived there. They lived in that same house their whole lives and by the time I moved in it was in serious need of some updating. I loved the history of the house though. And I liked updating it and making it mine.

One of my favorite things about this house was the yard. It had a huge yard. The woman who had lived there loved flowers. I knew because the yard was full of them. I was almost afraid to mow the yard because I never knew what would pop up. It was like Christmas. Every day it seemed something new came up. Sunflowers, peonie bushes, poppies, tulips, and a giant magnolia tree outside my bedroom window. I was in love with it.

We had these big bushes that grew along the front fence. I was indifferent about them. I liked that it blocked the view into our yard from the street. Then, one day, they turned yellow. Bright brilliant yellow bushes created a backdrop for hand dug fire pit and flower surprises. I loved these forsythia bushes. I would take clippings and make bouquets out of them.

I have since moved on from that house and it’s no longer mine. I wonder if the flowers and the bushes remain. One day I will again have big yellow bushes.

My cat recently ate my fish. I’m a little bitter about it. Mostly because I liked the fish better than the cat (not my cat). Anyway, the Chinese believe that goldfish are good luck. This explains why you always see them in Chinese restaurants. It is believe that if there is any bad luck they will take it with them. Therefore, if you have a goldfish die, you should immediately replace it. I decided to paint my own.